Mercedes W109/W108 Rear Axle Removal and Overview.

Removing the rear axle is need to continue addressing the bodywork rust and restoring the underside of the w109. It's a fairly straightforward task and I completed it without drama on my own with the aid of a few simple tools.

[@iantumulty4053]

Cheers John this makes life easier for sure 👍

[@mercedesmaintenance.6339]

Glad it helps. All the best Cheers John.

[@sebastiandasilva4750]

You´re doing a great job with that car, John. I have a W111 coupe, I have mentioned it to you before and I find these videos very useful as I will have to do the same repairs for sure, so you are showing me the way to do it right. Regards.

[@mercedesmaintenance.6339]

Thanks Sebastian. Can't wait to tip it on its side and get stuck into the underside. Thanks again. Cheers John.

[@jefhermans6480]

Hey. Nice work you do. I am going to replace my rear bearings on my 108. So I am exited to see your video on how to do that. First time for me. I know the right side of the axle has a circlips on it. And you have to be careful when pull that sid3 out.

[@mercedesmaintenance.6339]

Thanks. The shafts on the w108 don't have those clips. The cover plate is unbolted and the shaft slides out. With a bit of persuasion. On my 108 after taking the nuts of the cover plate I reattached an old wheel and with a few blows of a mallet it came right out. I hope to do more filming in the next week or so. Cleaning everything up right now.. Glad you're enjoying the videos.. 🍻Cheers John.

[@gotland80]

The "extra" arm of each side, is a very clever thing. It is attached to the "brake wheel", so when you apply brake, this arm will make a rotating force down, and since this end of the arm is attached to the body, it will drag the aft body down, to prevent the aft body from rising up. The aft body is almost level at hard breaking on the air suspension cars, opposed to the spring cars that do an almost dangerous degree of rising at the aft body (and resulting in a bad camber on the aft weels) when you brake hard and also make a tight turn. There is a often forgotten grease nipple on these, that if you miss to grease these, wear out the parts, and makes and big expensive problem. If they are worn, you feel vibrations and hear a noise if you drive the car backwards and apply brake. Inside, there are small plastic rings, that have to be replaced.

[@mercedesmaintenance.6339]

Great information!! Thank you so much, as you said a really clever design. Cheers John🍻

[@sebastiandasilva4750]

I think that is called the anti dive. Regards

[@mercedesmaintenance.6339]

@@sebastiandasilva4750 Thanks Sebastian.

[@gotland80]

@@sebastiandasilva4750 Actually the opposite, it is anti rise. Anti dive is used only on the front end of cars. Sadly 108/109 does not have that.

[@sebastiandasilva4750]

@@gotland80 yes, you are right. I have Heard people call ir anti dive many times but in fact it works as an anti rise under hard breaking as you said. Regards

[@herrowi8941]

Hi John! Great to see you making progress in dismantling. I dare to say that this was the easy part with the rear axle... It will great Interesse, what the inner parts of the diff will look alike, esp. the sleeve which is called "Schiebehuelse" in German. I havnt seen a 6.3 which has been used properly where the sleeve is not shot/broken. Regrettably the quality of the part from MB (If available at all) is in doubt. This very important part is used in almost every car of that age with this axle and maybe better to find a intact used part. The torque takes its toll. Keep us posted when the surgery strides ahead. Greetings, Oliver Btw: diff with lock?

[@mercedesmaintenance.6339]

Thank you for the comment. I have heard about the part you mention. From my understanding 90% of them have problems. Im cleaning everything at the moment before opening anything up. I am very unfamiliar with this job and will be asking for advice along the way. Your last comment, " Diff with lock" can you elaborate? Thanks again for your encouragement. Cheers John.

[@herrowi8941]

@@mercedesmaintenance.6339 Hi, I just wanted to know if the diff unser your Car has a lock which not all 6.3 had. That makes it a little bit Mode difficult to overhaul (at least for me). I recognised with interest the way you pulled the driveshaft but that should bei done carefully to my perspective. As far as I remember there ist a special tool from MB for that (which you might lend somewhere?). But it seems you did it...🤔😀. We have only very few shops over here who are familiar enough with this type of axle-overhaul. Knowledge gets lost.

[@gotland80]

@@mercedesmaintenance.6339 It is called in english, "Differential with limited slip". That means exactly what it says. It is not a lock diff. On an ordinary diff, you can stand still with one wheel, and freely spin the the other. Not on the 6.3. One wheel can not stand still. It can make noise if you apply minimum turning radius, since the diff is on the limit of allowing this much slip. it was introduced from chassis number 1202. These use a special oil.